Lot's of established artists have written music for others. Some good stuff was given away. What's ever more interesting, is that the songs given away, ended up sounding so much like the artist they were written for. For instance:

Paul writing Wings of a Nightingale for The Everly Brothers. Even Pauls demo sounds like an EB tune.

Jeff Lynn's You Got It, for Roy Orbison..... That sounds like one of Roy's songs right after the first listen.

Stevie Wonder has given lot's away, so has Prince. How many more can you come up with?

nice list, mtm. here is a question i'm sure i can predict what the answer will be, but here goes anyway. Can anyone name a Beatles (or solo song for that matter) that was done better by someone else, latter covering that song?

I don't think A Little help from my Friends by Joe cocker was better, but that one was close.

I have heard a down and dirty bluesy rendition of Oh Darling during a local version of Breakfast with the Beatles, but I can't recall who did it

Concrete Blonde did a nice version of Beware of Darkness

And Guns and roses did a nice version of Live and Let die, but not better

I want to tell her that I love her a lot, but I got to get a belly full of wine.

2 of 3 wrote:That's a great list, but I was thinking more of songs that were specifically written for someone else. Like the songs that were written for Carl Perkins or Johnny Cash.

Surf City by Jan and Dean....did the Beach Boys every record that one? It's a Brian Wilson song I'm guessing.

I went ahead and put an asterisk next to the ones I know were written for others - 11 of the 14 I listed. I say that not to be a smart ass, but it's amazing how many songs guys like Smokey Robinson, Otis Redding, and Prince wrote for other people considering how many hits they each had of their own.

No need chris ...but I was just thinking about how much a song written for someone else, sounded like that someone else. If Wings Of A Nightingale were not recorded by the Everly's... it still sounds like them. I think that is a testiment to the song writer...that is seriously cool to be able to do that.